Dec 9, 2009

I went to church yesterday and as I received Communion, a boy in front of me knelt down. He must have been 7 or 8 because he was tiny. But he knelt when his turn came. I was touched by his devotion and my thoughts went to another boy who became a saint at 15, St. Dominic Savio. He told St. John Bosco to turn him into a garment for the Lord, to help him become a saint. He was God's seal of approval to St. John Bosco's preventive system - a method of education and formation that uses kindness, reason and religion. It does away with punishments if possible. But it wasn't lowering the bar. When St. Dominic made his first communion, he resolved that Jesus and Mary would be his friends and that he would chose death rather than sin. Death rather than sin. If only our Catholic representatives, senators and judges would care about holiness and sanctity, then America would become a more civilized, moral and decent nation.

In St. John Bosco's schools and youth centers, feast days are celebrated with fanfare. There were stage presentations - operettas back in his day, sports competitions and something special at the table. It is a time of merriment. Since yesterday was the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, I started a tradition at home. It was nothing big - just having soft-batched cookies and chocolate milk for dessert. This is special because my wife does not let the kids have chocolate milk. I explained why we're having something special and told my son to remind me next year, so I can get the treats. My eldest asked for the date and I bet you, he'll remember. He tells me of events that happened when he was 4 or 5